Collision
by Alias Blackclaw
Summary: She was one of the most dangerous women alive, and he stood a chance against her. She expected nothing less. Perhaps she admired his sense of justice, perhaps..." Post RE5 Dropped Story
1. Enter Ada

_This is a roleplay turned into story form. I am playing as the ever-beautiful Ada Wong, alongside my amazing co-author Jules (Leon). I think you'll enjoy it quite a bit, though it moves very quickly. ^^ The point of view will be swapping in and out, focusing on Ada, then Leon in turn. This is in progress, so you'll get chapters as we write . Thank you for reading and have a lovely zombirific day~_

**POST RESIDENT EVIL 5**

_May, 2__nd__ 2010,_

_ We've received intel about the supposed study of the Uroboros Virus. According to the report of a B.S.A.A. agent one year prior, this virus was supposedly destroyed after the incident in Kijuju. Not only is this report contradicting new reports, but the information has been leaked internationally. The Uroboros Virus is now the target of opposing agents, and this is now a free for all, racing for the Uroboros sample. Good luck, unfortunate souls, for the sample has been located off the coast of South America, on a remote island. This island is likely inhabited by Progenitor experiments existing alongside the local natives, so take cautionary measures. Coordinates have been attached to lead you to the sample. _

_Good Luck._

_~Anonymous Transmission_

**Chapter One**

_~Enter Ada~_

...clink...

...clink...

"Uhnn..."

The smell of sea salt was spicy and fragrant, a stinging sensation in the nose that told a person that they were indeed somewhere along a beach line. This scent was the smack in the face that plucked her eyes open. The sand was golden and red, exactly the color of the woman who rather confusedly staggered to her feet on it. What had happened? One moment, she was on a ski to cross the last stretch of water, and the next…? She was lying on a sandy beach, the water lapping at her elegant black heels. What had happened? The woman put two fingers to her brow, pulling them away sticky with salt and blood.

**That's **what must have happened... Whatever was in the water must have attacked her. She had to have hit her head at **some **point, and washed ashore like an exotic seashell. Ada frowned at her damp clothing, the unfortunate ruin of yet another gorgeous dress unable to be avoided. At least she wasn't wearing tights this time. That would have been horribly uncomfortable. Not that this wasn't, but still.

The crimson dress sagged miserably on the sand, and she grabbed a portion of it to wring some seawater out of the folds. It was an interesting choice of mission attire (weren't they all?), that was for sure. The dress was tied at the neck, her entire back teasingly exposed due to the v-shaped cut. The same cut applied to the front of the dress, slitting the skirt into two tails of fabric that didn't leave much to the imagination. Embroidered upon this lovely example of a dress, were golden butterflies circling around her hips like a belt.

Perhaps the one word that could have described her typical mission garb would be "obnoxious". _Hiding in the shadows was never her style_, and this was a well known fact.

Overall, it was one of her most teasing outfits, and she knew it. What was her pet name? Ah yes, the bitch in the red dress. She loved that name. Ada stood, brushing the stubborn sand off her arms and dress as best as she could, dark eyes finding the castaway pack she had carried with her. Inside, was everything she needed. Her holster, her thigh canister, her trusty 9mm handgun, and of course, the black ribbon choker that she absolutely **needed**. The woman dumped the entire sack onto the ground unceremoniously, strapping things where they needed to go (mostly her upper leg), and tying that flowing black choker onto her neck. The wind picked up, and she looked into the foreboding darkness ahead. The trees were thick and dangerous, the animals and experiments even moreso. There was a layer of tropical green before her eyes, and yet it was tainted and terrifying to behold. Ada Wong smiled in that dangerous way of hers, the acid red of her waterproof lipstick seeming ever more intimidating.

"...It seems like more and more, they forget my welcoming committee." Ada brushed the holster on her thigh, withdrawing the old grapple gun and aiming it at a nearby tree branch. "Oh well, I suppose I'll just let myself in." She shot and was gone in a flash of red, gold, and effortless elegance, a butterfly that tantalized and seduced, but never seemed to land. She was Ada Wong, that traitorous spy, and there were a great many things that she expected from an island like this.

One, there would be monsters of all species.

Two, there would be competition for the sample.

Three, she was going to eliminate the competition and the monsters alike.

These were all quite expected. Unexpectedly, of course, was the presence of traps in the trees. She hadn't seen the nearly invisible primitive excuse of a noose, and had rammed full force off of a flip, caught her arm, and stood in the branch of a tree, furious and gritting her teeth to prevent a hiss. The thin rope had caught her by surprise, **her**! It was a trap set to catch tropical birds, and it caught her ARM of all things! The sting of the friction burn stopped her in the most comical pose. A beautiful woman in red, picking at a piece of rope strangling her arm, all within the exposed branch of a tree.

Ada noticed the movement, and her eyes snapped to it, momentarily forgetting that she was a trained assassin caught by a piece of string. She didn't have radar, or sonar, but her eyes were weapons all their own and compensating for the lack of the other two. She looked into the never ending green, her features intent and wary.. A yowl peeled the canopy of the murky jungle, the roar of something so bestial and unlike anything she had heard (Which was another unexpected occurrence, for she had heard a great many screams before). Not the Hunters in Raccoon City, nor the Tyrant sounded **quite **like this.

That was the cry of a cat, and cats... Cats could climb... Ada muttered the explicative as soon as she saw the glazed slitted eyes peering out of the branches.

Those eyes were so mutated, so grotesque, that they belonged to none of nature's felines. This thing shrouded in the dark was the Cheshire cat with a hideous lipless grin, a mutated body that melted into the dark. The thing jumped, shifting the leaves of the trees, coming a whole branch closer. The sunlight filtered through the fan-shaped leaves, and lo' and behold, the Cheshire cat's smile.

A great black behemoth of a cat was crouched before her very eyes, two leaps away from devouring her. It's skin was mottled, hairless in gray patches, and the face was torn to shreds. A steady spittle of yellow slime dribbled from it's lipless maw, and it was rotting, it seemed, from the outside and inside.

The smell was what tipped her off. That was the smell of decay and disease. It was the smell of the infected. A T-Virus panther. And she was caught in an accursed **birdtrap**. The beast roared yet again, and she hissed her own cattish warning, crouching awkwardly and slipping the knife off her holster in one fluid motion.

The cat jumped, and she cut, and the cat jumped, but Ada **soared**.

The woman flung her body backwards, flipping off the branch of the tree to grab a lower one and swing up to her feet. The panther gurgled and bit at the bark, shattering the wood where she once was standing. "You don't play nice, pussycat. Neither do I." She glared at the abomination, her heels again wounding the bark of the tree.

She was ready to jump again, but something zipped past, recognizable as gunfire. The bullets sunk into folds of the creature's flank, and it arched back, thrashing and screaming a sonnet of supernatural notes. And then she caught **him **in her radar.

_**Leon...**_

It was man versus beast, and the woman was certain that as the cat crouched back, it's horrifying glazed eyes trained on _that _man who ALWAYS seemed to get involved regardless of where she was, she knew it was going straight for his throat. That was simply **not **acceptable.

The world moved in slow motion, it's colors a blur, and the black cat jumped, shrieking a warcry, bloody sputum flying. She aimed, and fired above, latching the grapple gun onto a branch and swinging to the offensive.

That **IDIOT**! What kind of target was he AIMING for? Whatever it was, it was all null when black and red collided in a fast, impossibly painful bout of bodies. Ada aimed a precise kick for the beast's head, and released the hook, driving that dangerous heel forcefully into the beast's skull, and bringing her other foot down in a swift kick. The cat was down instantly, it's body rolling on the ground. While Ada, elegant as always, landed on her feet. The woman brought her slender legs to a v-position, eyes not on the carcass of the feline, but on the man before her. "Leon Scott Kennedy. Long time no see."

Blood spilled onto the jungle floor, the ruined mush of a cat coagulating sickly in the heat. Her heels, likewise, were stained, but it made them almost... complimentary to her outfit in some morbid way. "I never pictured you as a cat person."


	2. Enter Leon

_A/N: Chapter Two already. Indeed it is true. I think I'll have a weekly habit of updating this. Expect a chapter next Sunday :D! Thank you dearly to those who have reviewed. You guys give me confidence ^^. I'm going to reply to some reviewers every so often, so don't be surprised to see your name here 3._

_Many thanks to Yumari and Kahoko for being my first reviewers 3._

**Chapter Two**

~Enter Leon~

Actually, the thought of a trip to the beach had been haunting his mind for awhile now. It'd been forever since he'd been. Who didn't enjoy the _beach_? However, it wasn't as if he could take off any time he pleased and head to the nearest shoreline. His job kept him busy on a regular basis, after all, and there was no time for any real vacation.

He was one of the president's top agents, and that meant he was constantly kept on a rather tight leash. Not that he wanted an out; his job was his life, after all. Mr. Kennedy took his work very seriously - no objective he was given to complete was ever half-done. And let's face it; he _had _been given some knotty tasks before.

It'd all just made him that much better of an agent. Indeed, the man who took a step forwards now, black boots making a soft swish in the sand, was considerably different from the young rookie cop he'd been back in the day. Posture was straight, body appearing calm yet muscles taut with a slight tension. His newest assignment already had him on edge, simply for the sake that the president was so far away.

A pair of pitch-black sunglasses were upon his face, blue eyes squinting slightly as he took in his surroundings.

Yup. He'd been wanting a trip to the beach for a long time now.

But this wasn't _really _what he would have picked.

According to the transmission that had been received, the island hosted both experiments and natives. Fantastic.

He felt relatively safe with the handgun attached to his hip, various other weaponries also being tucked into certain places. Hands, covered in black fingerless gloves, extracted the paperthin map showing coordinates to the laboratory. He had memorized the first part of it already, sliding it back into a pocket and letting a soft sigh surpass his lips. A boat had taken him to the island, leaving him high and dry in this place. Somehow the feeling wasn't new to him.

A hand ran through locks of silken honey-blond before letting the soft tresses glide back to hang in his left eye, the man taking another moment to glance round before deciding to head towards the forestry ahead. This place was supposedly not all that large, so he shouldn't have had too difficult a time locating the lab.

'Then again…' he reminded himself, '-there was almost certain to be some company to run into.' Life for an agent was never a walk in the park. Or, island.

The tall man made his way to the beginning of the woods up ahead, hesitating for a brief second before entering and making through the brush, pushing hanging branches and brambles of green out of his way. It was quite warm here, though his attire was relatively appropriate for the weather - and for making a quick getaway if needed. Skin-tight black short-sleeved shirt of a very smooth material and pair of black pants with a thick black belt holding items, pair of boots, and gloves. Leon Scott Kennedy was ready for that sample.

Honestly, he should have been more concerned over the threat of others racing for the Uroboros sample - but he was just now trying to avoid getting lost or running into any natives. He wasn't oblivious to the fact other agents would more than likely have been sent to recover the sample, but his confidence in the fact he'd get to it first was unwavering.

His trek through the forest wasn't the most silent, after all. Though his gait was stealthy and rather fine-tuned from years of training and experience, one couldn't prevent the crunches and swipes of foliage that existed in his path, especially as he was walking rather swiftly. He winced sharply as a branch struck the flesh of his bare arm, slowing himself down a tad, trying to tread more lightly through the brush. Jungles were definitely not his favorite thing. The sunglasses had purposefully remained upon his eyes to protect them from low-hanging twigs, but a hand slowly moved up to slide them up to rest on top of his head, the arms of the glasses parting his hair slightly where they now resided. Now he could see a bit better. The soft frown of concentration was worn upon the man's face now as he moved deeper in, steadily yet with a pace of someone in a bit of a hurry.

It was then that a piercing cry broke the stillness of the forest.

Leon froze, entire body tensing into a halt, eyes widening slightly as he stared into the distance, head turning in the direction the haunting howl had come from. It wasn't that far away; in fact, it sounded pretty close.

Great.

Two options. Take off running and put as much distance between himself and whatever had made that noise as possible. Or see what it was. Whatever it was didn't sound human at all - but it hadn't cried out for no reason, had it?

Also, it was in the direction he needed to go. There was no real time to take another route; he knew time was short and he needed to get the sample as soon as possible. He was heavily depended on, and Leon could not disappoint.

Withdrawing his gun, the blond approached the direction the sound had come from, walking in a slight crouch. It didn't take long at all to discover the scene that was playing out right at that moment, and it was then that his eyes caught a flash of bright red before him.

He really shouldn't have been so surprised to see Ada Wong before his eyes. That woman seemed to show up every time trouble ensued. It didn't stop the gasp that escaped his lips as soon as he recognized the black-haired woman who, he quickly noted, was stuck in some sort of trap.

It might have been humorous if there wasn't a huge feline creature making its way to her.

He began to shout, but it was then that the he witnessed Ms. Wong flip _right into the air_, the disturbing aberration landing where she had been seconds before. He remained in the brush and moved forwards then, aiming his gun up at the cat and letting two bullets pierce the air. He was not sure if it hit the thing but even if not, it would take its attention away from Ada.

At the moment he was too occupied in making sure she didn't get eaten to think much about the fact that **Ada **was here on this island, having reacted by instant instinct. The realization, however, would come pretty damn soon no doubt.

Judging from the ear-splitting, pained screams of the beast, his shots had hit it.

Judging from the way it looked at him then, it wasn't too happy.

"... Damn." Leon breathed a hissed curse as the thing readied itself for attack, aiming his gun at it once more, though simple handgun fire wasn't the most intense weapon and probably wouldn't do any more damage than it had the first time he'd used it on Mr/Ms. Mutated here. He tensed, ready to move out of the way if it sprung, and of course it **did**. Leon hardly had time to react, however, as suddenly that grapple gun of Ada's was sent zipping and he witnessed the woman collide right with the creature, harshly and certainly taking him by surprise.

He jumped, watching most helplessly from below, eyes fixed on the woman in red, as the cat was killed via Ada's _heels_.

God those things were useful.

As its body fell to the ground, Leon's widened eyes briefly swept to its lifeless form, the smell of it just now reaching his senses, mingled with its freshly-spilt blood. A blue gaze shifted back up to the woman in front of him now, staring at her with a hint of disbelief and two hints of wonder.

"Ada...." How was it that he always seemed to run into her? She looked exactly the same as she had the last time he'd seen her; it'd been a couple of years but time had not been cruel to the woman in the least. Eyes swept over her body as if judging whether or not it was really her, gaze falling over the red of the dress which hugged her and down even to the shoes, now stained with the blood of the feline.

Slowly he slid the gun back in its holster, eyes returning to her face. "What're _**you **_doing here?" Pretty dumb question, honestly, but he actually hadn't expected to run into her. Was she still working for Wesker?

Each time he met up with Ada Wong she posed more questions than the last. And, usually, saved him from some sort of hideous fate.

... Again, he realized just how handy those heels really were.

Yumari


	3. Silly Mistakes

_A/N: Due to the fact that... well... I've been sick as hell, have the next piece in this exciting tale early. The action starts here very quickly. You may be thinking to yourself "WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?", but I assure you, after the super rapid action, there shall be some mellow bits and talking, and running... and giant Plag-... but yes. Enjoy. Thanks again to everyone who has faith in this story 3. _

**Chapter Three**

**Ada  
**

~Silly Mistakes~**  
**

She watched him, her thought process hidden by the smirk on her face. He was "frisking" with his eyes, and for some reason, it was rather satisfying to continue to be that enigma he couldn't seem to figure out. Or maybe he just thought her the bane of his existence? It was possible. Every time, he asked the same question, as if he expected an answer. She never ever answered.

"Wesker is _dead_, Leon."

The fact was a very abrupt splash of the situation. Her voice was not full of the sweet seduction as par usual. It was frank, blunt, and absolutely an answer to one of his multitude of inevitable questions. The look on his face was priceless, incredulous. Leon was a person who had the fortune of not running into Umbrella's finest Tyrant, but Raccoon City still hung on his mind. She had to admit, when she saw him in Spain, she was surprised at how... different he looked. She noted the telltale signs of insomnia, the thinner features, and most of all, a haunted look in his eyes that suggested his brooding over things. Ada's eyes found the same few things now as she did then.

In his eyes, was she a traitor? On some level, traitor was accurate. She had betrayed him, as she had betrayed Wesker, and as she was going to soon betray-...

"You haven't changed from Spain."

He hadn't changed much at all in six years. It seemed like every six years, she would see him again, and he wouldn't look much different save a little bit of length to his hair.

"Yeah, well, it's lucky I even made it out of Spain," he paused, the heavy sarcasm tangible in his words. "-since you like to make fancy exits."

Well, those words _were _deserved. She turned on her heels, looking back with those deadly dark eyes, the sunlight dancing upon her exposed skin. She was quiet for a moment, uncannily so, and then turned back, looking towards the forest canopy. Fancy exits was putting "blowing an entire island sky high" mildly.

They both knew what was to unfold next. She was going to flutter away like that elusive butterfly once more.

"Aim and fire, don't fire and aim. Got that, handsome?"

She stood still, though, and it was at that moment, that the wind found it's way to the forest floor, spiraling around the trees and carrying dead leaves and sand with it. Ada Wong did not believe in gods, but she did believe in omens. This was a dark wind indeed, though the ribbon of her choker and the tails of her dress caught in a colorful display of strange ethereal proportions. She did not move. For some reason, her hand didn't want to pull the trigger of her grapple gun. In fact, her hand didn't want to do much of anything.

He broke the silence with the next question that she fully expected. "Are you after the sample?"

"Are you?" she crooned back.

The world was traveling with the wind, it seemed, the colors blew all around her, they were a blur. The colors... Her arm ached, the arm that was burned. What? What was happening here? Faster, faster, the world spun out of control! What was going on?! _What was going on?! _Her answer came soon enough with a pounding fury. Ada slowly reached for her scratched arm, fingertips brushing the mark that the trap had made before her lips could form the word. Her eyes, flickered wildly, a sudden wave of strange tension assailing her legs.

"Ada?"

Ada's knees collapsed, and she fell with that wind, her wings pinned. She could breathe, yet her muscles were useless, her vision was dancing, but her mind was conscious.

"_Ada_!"

"Poison."

She rasped the one word out, for her rationale would not allow her normally smooth voice. The nearly invisible string traps… Of course they were poisoned. A snared bird would escape, and collapse mere moments later. How could she have ignored it?! All her training and previous wisdom, and she was felled by a damn piece of _string_! It was a relaxant, no doubt, and it explained her useless muscles.

"The snares... They're poisoned."

She had appeared weak before, only once. Irony had it, that the same who saw that "once" was the man would be the one to witness this... ridiculous feat. He looked rather panicked, almost scared at what had happened, searching various pockets on him to find something to help. There was nothing in his arsenal, by the distressed look on his face.

She was above all, embarrassed, but a small portion of her was alarmed. This poison was some kind of drug that seeped into her bloodstream. It was absolutely _potent_. She felt lethargic, though everything else screamed for consciousness. Ada lied there, one leg bent, the other, overlapping, her fingers curled inward towards her face.

"Get out of here, Leon.", her order was whispered and cold.

"Like hell I will." He snapped back. Some things never changed. As if to emphasize that history repeated itself, he slid his hands under her and plucked her off the ground. She was as limp as a rag doll.

"You aren't getting rid of me that easily." He looked her square in the eyes, and a small half smile spread across his lips. "What would you do if another one of those cat-things decided he wanted revenge for you literally _heeling _his friend?"

She cursed every single muscle in the human body in order by scientific name. She would have simply slipped out of his arms, and she couldn't do much of ANYTHING in this sorry state. No, for once, she was powerless. and that feeling was something she couldn't STAND. It itched like insects within her ribs, angry insects.

This complete loss of control wasn't unknown. This wasn't some form of relaxant though, this was some kind of native toxin that made her about as useless as a beached fish. She tried to raise her arms a fraction, but they only shook, and she let a soft growl express the distaste at the venom. Leon, though, was not the object of her irritation.

"Where should I go?"

She knew which way he wanted to go. Leon was occasionally a very stubborn person. He refused to leave her alone if she managed to slip up on anything (Which around him became quite often.). Even if she had a habit of putting the mouth of a gun to his skull, he would come back to the rescue if she needed it. What a complex game.

"Edge of the beach for safety, due south to the sample." she sighed back, irritated but not in a panic.

"Right..."

He was too good for his own good.


	4. So She Falls

_A/N: As an apology for such a short chapter, I have uploaded an Ada/Leon oneshot to compensate for lack of word on this one. x-x. Once more, I'd love to credit my reviewers for pointing out some mistakes I missed in the last chapter, so I could go correct them ^^;. You guys spoil me far too much. Anyways, here's Chapter Four as I promised :3_

_-  
_

**Chapter Four**

So She Falls

-

Her words struck him with surprise, and he failed tremendously at hiding the shock which flitted across his face. Wesker was... dead? Leon didn't know much about the man - actually, he was nearly as much as a mystery as the raven-haired woman standing before him - but to hear he was dead…?! Honestly, he hadn't expected **that** of all things to come out of her mouth.

So then... why was she here? For whom was she working for? What purpose...

To be honest, he would have been very, very taken aback if she /had/ answered him directly. As it was, she was going to leave him guessing (once again), and the he supposed he couldn't take that too harshly. After all, they were enemies in some sense. Weren't exactly on the same side...sort of.

Relationships were so _complicated_.

He did notice the lack of playful tone that usually existed in her voice whenever she spoke to him - that sultry tinge to her dialogue he'd come to expect from Ada Wong. She was obviously quite serious about what was going on, though as she stated he hadn't changed, it felt almost like they were old friends running into each other.

"Yeah, well, it's lucky I even made it out of Spain," the blond remarked, sarcasm evident in his dialogue. "Since you like to make fancy exits."

Yes, he really did expect that butterfly to flit away like she so often did. She'd show up out of nowhere, provide some sort of vague information, and leave before his head stopped spinning round. He kept his eye on her, though, watching her very carefully. He didn't expect her to stick around too much longer; at the same time, he didn't exactly want her to take off just yet.

"Aim and fire, don't fire and aim. Got that, handsome?", she said, to which the man grunted slightly, shaking his head, taking a slight step forwards, turning to the side to glance around once again, keeping himself alert.

Man was **she **smug.

Head tilted back to watch the woman as she stood still, the breeze ruffling his hair lightly, the wind leaving a soft shudder rolling down his spine. Eyeing the woman as she was silent, Leon pursed his lips slightly, taking the strange moment and watching her. She did seem oddly... uncharacteristic, in a way..

"Are you after the sample?" he asked bluntly, the silence sincerely unnerving, though the agent could not place why.

Her immediate retort of 'Are you?' left him about to scoff, but as he eyed her carefully, a strange change seemed to come over her suddenly. He peered at her posture, eyes rather intensely focused on his sole counterpart for the moment, taking a slight step closer. "Ada?" he questioned, at the exact moment she fell.

"Ada!" The name was a shout now, alarm welling up in his throat and escaping. Immediately the man moved to her, sinking into a crouch, eyes hard with surprise and concern.

"Poison." was her quiet explanation.

From the trap. The panic he felt was strange - Leon had always handled situations with an almost icy detachment, able to keep it together and get what needed to be done accomplished.

…and he was vastly overwhelmed with alarm at the realization she was poisoned.

Hovering over her, the blond's hands moved to his belt, patting it slightly as if seeking something (anything?) that could help - though of course finding none. God dammit. What was he supposed to do?! He was still aimlessly searching when her words broke the silence.

"Get out of here, Leon.",

Leon was silent for barely a moment before both eyes narrowed slightly. "Like hell I will."

Poison...and he had no idea what kind it was. And they were out here, in the middle of this horrible place, prime target for anything that might pick up on their scents or stumble across them.

-You aren't getting rid of me that easily," he said gruffly, suddenly sliding both arms underneath her limp form - one hooking beneath her legs and the other supporting her head. He lifted her, holding her up from the ground, eyes dropping to her own dark pair, the trace of a faint side-smile evident upon his lips. "What would you do if another one of those cat-things decided he wanted revenge for you literally _heeling _his friend?"

Banter was almost an instinct to come up around Ada - maybe it was a way of hiding the true concern he had for her, or maybe it was stupid instinct. After all, he wasn't _meant _to feel quote-on-quote 'concern' for her. She had always posed problems to whatever he was trying to accomplish, had always complicated things.

At the exact same time, she always seemed to come through for him whenever he needed it most.

"Where should I go?" he asked her directly, his voice gaining that good old authoritive edge to it now. He didn't know this place at all; he only knew how to get to the lab. There had to be somewhere safe and maybe she would know where - assuming she wasn't _too _upset with him for forcibly picking her up and denying her request to leave.

They were both stubborn as hell, that was for sure.

"Edge of the beach for safety, due south to the sample."

He mistook the irritation in her voice as directed at him; somehow he doubted Ada would be too happy being toted around, well… unwillingly of course. Being caught in such a weak position as to _need _somebody else was probably pretty hard on her ego. But she wasn't invincible; 'she really needs to realize that' he thought.

"Right." A firm nod of the head and the man took right off in that direction, heading away from his previous destination altogether. It was stupid of him, perhaps, to choose her over retrieving the sample. But she had saved his life back there - this made them even. That was the way it must be for them, after all. Acts of "kindness" were justified by the game they played. She had to have known he could never have actually _left _her, though.

As he walked, he was careful, though in a hurry all the same. As mentioned, he knew nothing about the poison in her system right now, though for the moment the first step was getting them out of danger. What to do once they got there....He really didn't know. He'd figure that out as soon as he was sure they weren't creature bait.


	5. Lapse

IMPORTANT A/N: First off, I'd like to thank my dear reviewers and readers, and favorite-ers, for pushing chapters of this story out. SECONDLY, and IMPORTANTLY, it seems like a lot of you are unaware that this story is CO-WRITTEN. Leon is NOT written by me, he is written by the absolutely fantastic and lovely **Jules**. :3 Please give her some credit for this story, in fact give her 65% credit please, because she's just that cool. Thank you guys, and enjoy the chapter. Remember that I will try to do updates on Tuesdays, so check back often!

**Chapter Five**

**Ada**

~Lapse~

The comparison to a intoxicating substance somehow made things better. Fast acting relaxant, that was it. She was not fearful of this drug, just absolutely furious with such a cheap shot. She wanted to say something, anything to redeem herself, but nothing came to mind. Leon was in his glory hour. Truly, she didn't mind being carried. Leon had certainly gotten stronger since Raccoon, but then again, this wasn't new news.

Last time they met, he was able to disarm her, and that was a feat in itself. She was on the "Most Wanted" list in at least a dozen nations She was one of the most dangerous women alive, and he stood a chance with her. She expected nothing less. Perhaps she admired his sense of justice, perhaps... Either way, she completely tolerated this man, when she was not on a mission to seduce him. It was a change of pace indeed. She had her own turn to eye him (what else could she do just lying there like a damsel in distress), and then something odd occurred to her.

"I found your jacket."

It was the black shirt that reminded her. A Ganado fancied the soft leather of his coat, and actually stole it. She kept it after putting a slug in his brain. It was likely the poison that spewed such a random statement. In that drugged haze of helplessness, it seemed as if things were moving times, reminding or replacing, or just plain swirling together visually. She couldn't explain it. It was a dizzying dream, perhaps?

"...You did?"

He sounded like he was worried that she lost her mind, and his brows furrowed into a knot at her. She squinted as he stepped into the brunt of the sunlight, watching the journey from inside herself. The beach looked soft, full of sand and color, belying the turmoil of the island, and there was even a little shack at the edge, looming just out of reach of high tide. It was strange that this shack seemed… almost a modern construction. Were there others there, besides the natives?

Well… if there were… they were probably dead now.

Leon saw the hut too, and he immediately started for it. She felt him shift her weight as he approached, peering into the doorless entrance cautiously before deeming it safe enough (though she was quite certain he could handle it if it wasn't), strolling into the strange spots of sunlight dotting the floors. She didn't see exactly where he had set her down, only felt that it was a crude cot. Her head felt light, airy, almost as if it would fly away, and she wanted to shake it, but didn't.

"Are you alright?"

What could she say? She could ask him why he proceeded to flaunt the Captain Obvious flag, or she could have said "yes". Ada, being the unpredictable creature, explained.

"I feel like… I'm on a psychedelic…"

She didn't elaborate exactly how she knew that fact, nor did she explain why her eyes seemed out of focus, constantly moving as if in a state of REM. It was the poison, the drug. She was not registering, not seeing anything before her but a muddled mess of shapes and blurs. Her pulse was rapid, but she couldn't move. She was just so limp she couldn't do anything.

"Three. I owe you three." she murmured, eyes darting every which way, but head not following them. The world was moving when it should have just stayed still.

"I owe you three?" he repeated, as if he didn't understand. Be he did, didn't he? He took that bullet. He carried her away from danger when Birkin's claw impaled her side. Three so far. Three…

"Just hang on, Ada."

This felt all too familiar. Way too familiar. She was back in Raccoon all over again. It was 1998, they were underground... She was dying, wasn't she? Dying on the ground. Wasn't she...? She was bleeding… There was so much blood. And she felt like… like…

Ada bit her lip, clenching those horrible eyes shut so they would stop dreaming. She couldn't remember... where... when... he was there though, Leon. He was the past and present, though time was reversing in colors. 1998... How old was she when she died? How old was she when she said those things?

"What year is it?"

She felt his hands curve around her shoulders, as if they knew them.

"Ada. Look at me. What should I do? Should I go get help? Is there any natural...remedy to this.. thing?"

The poor man… he was so… panicked.

Leon told her to look at him, so she did, opening her eyes a fraction and desperately trying to chase some sort of rational thought into her head. Ada smiled then, a very rare, small smile.

"Let me (go) sleep, handsome. Just... let me sleep."

Ada was a creature of strange action, and often that action spoke louder than her charming words. This action, perhaps foolish, was a promise. She bowed her head, pressing her lips to his cheek. They were enemies, allies, something **viral **all their own. They played a game of cat and mouse in which both were neither predator nor prey. He had no idea who she was, and yet he knew her better than any one person ever did. Whatever tapestry of fate they were bound to, it was never letting up. This one action, out of haze and alarm, meant that she knew (as always).

"...I will wake up. The dead **never stay dead**." she crooned into his ear, a bitter "heh" punctuating the statement. She sighed and closed her eyes, leaning loosely against his hand for some support. She fell to darkness without fail. For the second time in twenty four hours, she was out cold.

Was it hours? It had to be, the day was night and the sun was dead. Her senses were returning, her logic sound. Whatever she succumbed to by a mere scratch was now gone, and Ada opened her eyes. When there was not a spec of light, she was quiet, and then rather disoriented. Her muscles were sore, but when she rolled her wrist, it appeared that the effect was gone. It was after this epiphany that she became aware of her surroundings. The central point of her attention was on the odd pillow that she had, a living creature to rest on. Not only that, but this poor creature was Leon. The details of the attack were murky, but she remembered vaguely her promise.

"Good evening."

She took a deep breath in, letting it out and sitting up, her arms automatically moving to stretch above her head, frowning at the sound of something cracking into place. What a bizarre experience... but now there was a primary objective she needed to get done.

She peered at Leon through the dark, noting that moonlight was streaking into the crevasses of this hodgepodge hut, though not much was illuminating either of them. It was not cold at all, actually rather warm this night, and for that she was grateful. It was a tropical climate, after all.

Now that she was awake, now that she fulfilled her promise, would she fly away once again? No, she would not. Not for a while, at least. There was something innately pleasing about the close proximity, and not only that, Leon was competent... And just a good partner. That typical Ada posture reappeared, though it looked a bit weary.

He made the next move in the game, and she was going to accompany that.


	6. Companion of a Stranger

_A/N: Good God I hope you guys forgive me for being such a bitchy bitch to you x-x. I'm so sorry I missed last week's update! Either way, here's this week's, a day early and longer than the last few bits. Again, Leon is written by my partner in crime, Jules. Give her the credit for making this agent such a stud, please? :3 Much loves, and enjoy this chapter. I'm in the process of writing more to "Of Satin Criminals and Mafia Men", so expect a giga update on that. I also have a WeskerxJill dark fic in the process x-x. Plus Real Life. Again, sorry about the delay, but expect some neat things to come._

-

**Chapter Six**

**Leon**

~Companion of a Stranger~

Her statement broke the silence, save for his soft breaths as he moved.

"I found your jacket."

He glanced down to her, surprise in his blue eyes. -"...You did?" Oh god, he'd nearly forgotten about that thing. He could remember losing it, though - flashbacks of waking up tied to Luis Sera and jacket-less suddenly appeared in his mind, and the blond was rather taken aback to discover she had it.

Her voice sounded slightly strange to him, and his brows furrowed; he continued walking until the blue of skies greeted him and he found sand beneath his feet. Ahh.. out of the forest. Squinting slightly at the sunlight, Leon glanced to the side, spotting an abandoned-looking hut sort of place. Well. He _hoped _it was abandoned. Maybe it had been a look-out place for the natives or something, as it was located along the edge of the beach. Regardless, it was the only real place he could see, so the he carried her towards it, carefully approaching the small building and peering inside. It was extremely dimly-lit, sunshine peaking through small spaces of sticks tied together. Leon's breath hitched slightly as he moved into it, looking round and then setting her gently down on a raised sort of makeshift cot-looking adornment. She didn't look so good at all… and as he lowered her down, the man tried to prop her up slightly.

"Are you alright?" he finally questioned, eyeing her carefully. Again, dumb question. He wanted to keep her talking, at least until he discovered what he could do to help her.

"I feel like… I'm on a psychedelic."

He blinked, leaning over her and staring at her eyes intently. A psychedelic? How on Earth would she know what that felt like? Her eyes, they were moving back and forth, and that dull panic from before began to rise up once more in the agent's chest. Seeing Ada like this....was 'scary' the correct term for it? She just always was so... sure of herself. Always on top of things. It wasn't the first time Leon had seen her weak side. But that didn't make it any less surreal. Still, though a large part of him was alarmed and uneasy, the other half was fighting to keep him calm. Level-headed. Think, Leon!

"Three. I owe you three."

"I owe you three?" he said in response, not understanding at first, the reference… Three… The fact that she was still talking though… was good… Psychedelics weren't something he dealt with on a daily basis, but he could only guess that the effect was getting worse. Well, that much was made obvious from the way she was behaving now, but he still relished the fact he was able to make such a deduction in this panic.

"Just hang on, Ada," he assured her, moving away from the woman now and looking around the hut for anything to help. Of course there wasn't. A frustrated groan escaped him and his hands moved up to express his frustration, fists clenching before he returned to her, leaning over her, remaining quite close to her face where her eyes were now shut. The question she asked him proved it was getting even worse, and the male's hands clenched her slender shoulders tightly.

"Ada. Look at me." He moved down towards her face, leaning over her. "What should I do? Should I go get help? Is there any natural...remedy to this.. thing?" He was exasperated, lost for what to do, helpless. It was not a good feeling.

Leon wasn't sure why he asked her such questions. How would she know if there was a 'remedy' for this? He just assumed she knew everything; that was how Ada **was**. Again, that was why it was so disturbing seeing her like this. She did open her eyes, which he almost let himself become relieved over, but the instant she sent him that smile, the worry set in again, and his heart clenched with an odd pain that he had very rarely experienced.

"Let me sleep, handsome. Just... let me sleep."

He was about to retort to that, brows once again furrowed, a deep frown set upon his face, virtually unsatisfied with her response. 'Please don't leave me now, Ada,' his mind begged. 'Just tell me what to do and I'll do it.' Was he really this close to losing her? Could she possibly _die_? He didn't know anything about this poison, or what ending effect it would have on her - there was nothing to help her, nobody to help her. All he could do was stare at her and wait, and it was the most helpless sensation the man had felt in a long time.

It was then that she moved slightly, and her lips made contact with the flesh of his cheek.

The action deeply surprised Leon Kennedy, though he did not move, lips parting gently as the soft sensation of her plush lips left him, her sentiment ringing through his ears with that sensual whisper of a voice…

"...I will wake up. The dead never stay dead."

And then she was leaning, limply falling into a blackness he could not feel, but could see as her eyes closed and she lay against his hand.

Asleep. She was asleep… right? Only asleep, he realized, and his body wanted to calm down but could not. She was not dead - just asleep, right? But for how long? How deep was the sleep which had ensnared her? Would she be alright?

There was nothing he could do, but to wait. He moved to sit beside her, gently lifting her head and then repositioning it against his shoulder, his body the rock to support Ada as she fell victim to the effects of the poison.

He would not leave her.

-

He had dozed off himself, off and on throughout the hours it took for Ada to awaken. It was only a slight sleep that gripped him, though, a sleep that wasn't even _really _sleep at all. More like his body drifting off but his mind remaining alert, so easily awakening his body at any disturbance at all. A shift of wind outside, a wave slapping the shoreline, and his eyes would snap open at once. Eventually his eyes did not close again, and he stared at the wall in front of him, thoughts tumbling.

He had diverted from his mission. Let his heart lead him astray again. Compassion, was that his weakness? Did he really have a weakness for Ada Wong by caring for her in that complicated way? If caring if she lived or died meant he had a weakness, then yes, he supposed he did have one for her. He had let it affect him, though, and that was where he had gone wrong. He should have gotten the sample by now, possibly been on his way back.

He couldn't care about that as much as he probably should. Even now he was more worried for her than anything else at the moment, which was an absurd truth, but it was in fact one. She had been out for so long……Yet at least she was breathing. He sat there the entire time, feeling her soft breaths, as hard to detect as they were. Occasionally he moved her to a more comfortable position, and the entire time he prayed nothing would find its way to them. He would defend her regardless of her history. She was utterly helpless in this position.

After a long while, when the sun had sunken past the sea and the hum of nightfall was upon him, he felt slight movement beside him, azure eyes shifting to the side where he saw the woman rolling her wrist as if to test it out. Relief came washing in, and he could not help the smile out of relief that etched itself onto his lips.

"Good evening."

As she stretched her arms, then turned to face him, he did the same, moving his head so that he was staring at her straight-on. The darkness cast shadows upon her features, but he could tell she had returned to a state of relative normalcy, and for some reason he was very, very glad to see this.

"Good evening," he drawled back, not bothering to hide the smile upon his lips now. "You feeling better?"

She "hmmd" a yes, a tired and yet coy sound. "Leon, Leon, you are a gentleman, thank you."

Light blue eyes danced up to the woman's own dark pair as she granted him the affectionate term of gentleman, and expressed a thank you. Brows quirked instantly; despite the smirk that played upon her crimson lips she seemed genuinely thankful. Which, he supposed any normal person would be, but like mentioned - he and Ada just... didn't have the relationship of 'normal' people.

Considering who they were, normalcy wasn't a regular occurrence anyway. Their lives could never be the typical ones, and their interactions had always been atypical as well. Light and detached, strenuous or bloody interactions were what they usually had. Pieces of something that would never make a whole. For some reason the wall between them was necessary - because there was an almost mutual, silent agreement that they could never get close enough to 'care' about the other more than in the slightest way possible. It was easier that way, after all…

And... harder. It was hard to have that sort of relationship with someone. The feelings Ada Wong induced in him were.... odd ones. He so rarely saw her, yet every time he did, it meant something. He'd never forget the first day he had run into the enigma that was the Red Butterfly. In a way, the mystery of her was intriguing; in another way, it was horribly frustrating. One thing was for certain, however: Leon considered her more of an ally than an enemy, and that would perhaps be his downfall at some point.

Perhaps he was too oblivious to the danger that Ada could pose to him. He knew not to ever get too close, yet there was something tantalizing about her, something invigorating. Leon had never been one to back down due to nerves, due to fear - often pushing his bravery to the point any normal person would break.

But, like mentioned, neither of them were in fact, normal people.

As she stood, his eyes followed her, remaining sat on the cot but tilting his head back to look at her.

"It would be very stupid to run into the jungle in the dark. What do you plan to do, handsome? Wait for the sunrise, or take a moonlight stroll along the shore?"

His mind had been so preoccupied with thoughts of the raven-haired woman that Leon found himself genuinely surprised to hear the sudden question - thus bringing him back into the reality of the situation. Now that Ada had proven herself to be all right (though, he was still mildly concerned that there might be some sort of after-effects), the more darker aspects to their dilemma reared their head again, and he frowned, eyes dropping to the floor, thinking for a moment.

Waiting until the sun rose might be a good idea - There were all of those traps, after all, and darkness was weakness, for them. Though he had a flashlight, there were of course animals and such in the forest that had nightfall on their side. He didn't want to risk that, despite the fact the sample needed to be recovered.

Moonlight stroll? Watching as she stretched her lissome, catlike body in contortions that for most people were impossible, Leon's eyes widened with considerable impress, and he swallowed dryly, hiding the look in his eyes. She was a difficult subject to deal with because she had a powerful tool that she used to her advantage. Ada had the body most women would kill for, and to top it off, she was inhumanly flexible, and unquestionably a very adequate fighter. Knowing all of this, and the fact that she was most likely using him, he still found it difficult to bring the apathetic government agent back to hide his thoughts.

"I think I'll come with you for now."

Was it because she was his only companion that he couldn't keep the agent face up? Surely he was just happy to have someone human by his side for this brief mission, a companion to talk to and have as a back-up.

Did Ada qualify as companion?

He stood then, smoothly coming to his feet, wiping a hand over the material of his pants, drawing it up to look at it for a moment, eyes idly glancing at the material of the black fingerless glove upon his hand. He didn't want her to see the relief in his eyes upon hearing she was sticking with him. After all, soon she'd flutter away again - he shouldn't be too joyed.

"All right," he nodded, dropping his hand, looking over at her again, shaking his head lightly to remove the bang that resided over his left eye, only to have it sift right back into place again. "Let's go for a walk, then. Maybe we can find some supplies or something. If we stay close to the shoreline, it should be okay." There he went, trying to be decisive, trying to be more cold towards her. Trying not to be too attached.

"... Besides, you could probably do with some fresh air, after what happened," he added with a slight smile. Somehow, he just couldn't be as cold with Ada as he knew he should be. And he knew he should be cold enough as to kill her… but that was never going to happen and they both knew it.


	7. A Moonlight Stroll

_A/N: So, I'm going through one of the most stressful weeks of my life, and yet I have time to toss this at you ^^;. Once more, thank my dear Leon, Jules, for being so awesome, and thanks to all my watchers and reviewers!_

**Chapter Seven**

**Ada**

~A Moonlight Stroll~

"Leon, Leon, you are a gentleman." She smirked back in amusement, not elaborating on her comment and leaving the words hanging. "Thank you."

Those two words were a rare animal in her encyclopedia of language. Sure, she used them as her alternative identities, the beach blonde blackjack master, the brunette who casually picks up dates with businessmen, but Ada never used those words as herself. They were words nobody heard from her mouth, and yet Leon heard them, and actually recognized them as rare, for he stared and seemed surprised.

Leon heard a lot of things she swore she would never say. Perhaps that was why she felt compelled to expose that unseen side of herself, the one past the gorgeous body and very sexy attitude. Perplexing as the idea of "caring" was, she had long since come to terms with the fact that she cared for the man, to the extent of keeping him alive when she was ordered to kill him. He was the only person she could completely trust to do exactly what he said he would do, and get out of any bad situation even if everything was against him.

Ada stood, the two tails of her dress sliding down those elegant legs. Moonlight danced over her features, and she looked around the room, examining it in silence, her mind working out the situation. At night time, it would have been nearly impossible to move through the jungle. Those traps were unquestionably dangerous. "It would be very stupid to run into the jungle in the dark." -but what could they do? What was he going to do? The tide was surely high, and the beach was probably thin.

"What do you plan to do, handsome? Wait for the sunrise, or take a moonlight stroll along the shore?", she swung the words like she walked, seductively, inquiring, and playful. He was staring _still_, brooding over something and caught in that thought, and seemed to snap back to reality at her words. He frowned and changed his gaze to the floor. Leon was typically witty and very on the ball with at least one word or to as a side note. He was brooding.

The soreness in her legs would not subside, and likewise, she sighed and stuck a foot out, reaching for her toes to get the annoying ache out. Ada had the remarkable gift of being "double jointed" and flexible, and it showed in her lean build as she stretched out her legs, the quiet sounds of the nearby ocean making the perfect background noise.

"I think I'll come with you for now." she crooned, finishing off the stretches with a smooth backbend and precise arc to a headstand, to her feet.

Sure, they were on opposite sides of the chessboard (sort of), sure they were complete and polar opposites (sort of), and sure, she was probably going to end up vanishing again (sort of), but it wasn't a suggestion, as more of a statement. The bitch in the red dress, was after all, still a bitch. (sort of).

"All right." he finally said. "Let's go for a walk, then. Maybe we can find some supplies or something. If we stay close to the shoreline, it should be okay."

How very mission minded…

"... Besides, you could probably do with some fresh air, after what happened."

Ada looked pointedly at him as he dawned a half smile, not thrilled about the mention of her stupid move. She had to defend herself, but the reality of the matter was, that without Leon she would have surely been in deep trouble. It frustrated her to think it, but she would repay him before they got off this god-forsaken island. It was just the way things seemed to go.

"Mm."

The singsong nature of her voice wasn't hindered by wordless sentences. Ada's voice was playful, sensual, and at times dark and cold, but she always had the strange ability to sing her words. She never once sang for another human being, but she wasn't guiltless. Once upon a time, it was her seedy job to do so. One upon a very long time ago, Ada may have been considered normal by the day's standards, some performer on a stage, working for another questionable employer. What interesting days…

Ada took off her heels, curling her toes as the straps came off. Walking in wet sand with heels was just asking to ruin a pair of good shoes, not to mention sink her down. She looked back then, crossing her arms and smirking.

"Up for a run? I need the "fresh air"."

And she turned on the balls of her feet and slipped right out the door, Leon in tow.

What really was something special is how she knew how she should not be playing games with Leon, but she did anyways. Now that Wesker was off her back, there was no one to tell her not to (Or tell her to kill him, for that matter.) Truth be told, she liked playing with someone on the same level. It was nice to be challenged. Mr. Kennedy surely impressed her in Spain, and he continued to impress her.

Ada inhaled the tropical night air and sighed contently. The moon was full and yellow, shining with mysterious and strange potency. It gave the water a mysterious shine on the waves, and there was no true darkness this night. How lovely. Ada slipped onto the sand, feeling it between her toes. She needed a vacation from viruses and parasites after this.

"What a night."

"I never thanked you for saving me earlier.", he murmured, his eyes boring two holes into her back. The man could definitely stare like no other.

Ada stared out to the moon-painted ocean, her red lips parting for a moment, but she didn't say anything immediately. How could she comment on this when it was slowly trespassing the fine line between her games and actual interaction with this man?

"No, you didn't." she said, hand coming up to brush a few dark wisps of hair from her eyes. "And then you carried me away, so there's no need to." she crooned, that singsong pentameter floating on the warm night air. She turned her head, eyes drifting over the man's face, and raising a brow. Was saving her sorry drugged hide not enough of a thanks?

No, Leon was too much of a gentleman. He was the kind of person who always seemed to do the "right" thing, regardless of consequences or which side he was supposed to be on. She couldn't say the same thing. Whatever was "right" or "wrong" was all determined by who had her on their leash. Leon was the good guy, always. She was the human question mark.

Ada let the wind toy with her dress tails, gently tossing them about her ankles, before she walked away. "Come on handsome. We don't want to burn moonlight, do we?"


End file.
